Twenty Thai crew members of the cargo vessel Mayuree Naree, which was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, returned to Thailand on Monday, while three of their colleagues remain missing on the damaged ship in the Gulf.
The sailors arrived early Monday at Suvarnabhumi International Airport after flying in from Oman and were escorted away by officials without speaking to the media.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on March 11 that it had targeted the Thai-registered vessel, along with a Liberia-flagged ship, in the strategic waterway after both allegedly ignored “warnings”.
Relatives of the crew gathered at the airport to welcome them back. The wife of one returning sailor, who identified herself as Bass, said she had been anxiously waiting to see her husband after the incident.
“We are all afraid, but they are employees — if they refuse to go to sea, they won’t get paid,” the 32-year-old woman said, adding that she had only been able to communicate with her husband through Facebook Messenger during the ordeal.
She also brought their one-year-old son to the airport at her husband’s request. According to her, the sailor managed to grab only his mobile phones before fleeing when the ship was struck, leaving behind a small pillow given to him by their child.
The vessel’s owner, Precious Shipping, said it would provide welfare support to the returning crew, including medical examinations and mental-health assessments.
The company added that its “highest priority” remains locating the three crew members who are still missing. Earlier, it said the sailors were believed to be trapped in the engine room, which was damaged during the attack.
Thailand’s foreign ministry said the government is seeking assistance from other countries to help locate the missing crew members. Earlier, the Royal Omani Navy rescued the 20 sailors from the vessel.
Tensions in the region have risen since the conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel escalated, raising concerns about maritime security. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical shipping routes, through which nearly one-fifth of global oil supplies pass, making disruptions there a major concern for the global energy market. (Agency)
